Daddy and I have been rushing around packing (to come see you!) and have been enjoying picking out things to bring to Ethiopia for each of YOU! You may not be here in person, but you both so fill our hearts!

Daddy and I walked into church last night for a beautiful candlelight Christmas Eve service, so full of gratitude and love. You may not have been there in person, but you both were so in our hearts.

My sweet friend, Tara, (now in Ethiopia) has been sending me daily updates and oftentimes pictures of you both ~ many of them are of the two of you TOGETHER! Melt.our.hearts! We may not be there in person ~ yet! ~ but we so are in our hearts!

Christmas is the time when we all reflect upon the most beautiful story of all. The precious birth of Christ. We reflect upon God's love. A love so vast that He sent His only son to earth. To walk the human walk of life. To eventually be crucified and buried. All to take upon himself our sin. Our burdens. And on the third day he arose from the dead. Bringing to each and every person a way to be forgiven. A way to enter into heaven. A way to develop an intimate relationship with God.

What an amazing love!!!!

It is because of this unconditional, unending love that we can have hope. Hope that we have a Heavenly Father who loves us SO MUCH that He would give His only begotten son. FOR US!!!

Our whole journey to you two boys has brought your Daddy and me to our knees. Several times. Laying each one of you at His feet. Laying our desires for a family at His feet. Clinging to our faith in Him. Our faith that His love is True and His plan for our lives GREAT. The more we cling to this faith, the more we see our Lord and Saviour move. On our behalf. Carrying out plans He ordained for each of us so long ago. Long before we were even born.

As pastor Tri said last night, the more faith we have the more hope we develop. As we see God's faithfulness to those who trust in Him. And as our faith and hope develop, our hearts overflow with love. With His love. His steadfast love. His unconditional love.

We feel this agape love overflowing. And our journey to you has increased this flow. Boys, each one of you has brought us closer to God, deeper in our trust in Him and buried in our love for Him and His love for us. We are filled to overflowing a love deeper than we have ever known. For each one of you. And for Heavenly Father.

The two of you are our personal stories of children gifted from God. As empty as we are, not having you home (yet!), we can't help but feel a fullness of love, protection and provision. For the birth of Christ and the birth and referral of each one of you! BOTH of you will always remind me of God's steadfast love. His provision and yearning to fill the desires of our hearts abundantly more than we can ever even imagine.

We pray for you daily. And we prayed a special prayer last night. Christmas Eve. Our last one without you home.

Thanking God for you both. And thanking Him for the precious gift of allowing us to be with you in a matter of DAYS!!!! As well as the ability to celebrate Ethiopian Christmas with you on our January 7th!

Precious, precious gifts, indeed! Christmas is the celebration of God's love. And this year, it is also the celebration of how God's love brought us each of YOU!!!!!

MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS, MY SONS!!!!!

WE LOVE YOU WITH ALL OUR HEART!!!!

Please leave a message to Kaleab and "S." This will one day be a book for them. What a precious gift to know so many already love them and have been praying them home!!!!

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comments:

I want to wish you both a very Merry Christmas. I've been praying for you both everyday and I can't wait to meet the two of you. Your forever family is absolutely amazing and I can't think of two greater parents for you to be coming home to. I love you guys!! God Bless you!!

Merry Christmas Boys! We have been praying for you for oh, so long!Kaleab, when we were in Ethiopia in June, we loved on you. You stole my heart. What a sweet little tiny baby you were. I see photos of you today and see that you are getting so big and so, so handsome. You are a blessed little one...but, I have a feeling that you will be the bigger blessing to your mom & dad when you are with them forever. :)"S"...you are an incredible boy. You obviously are a blessing to your new family. God chose you. He placed you in the EXACT spot you needed to be in order to put you with your mom & dad. Your mom & dad are so incredibly blessed to have you as a part of this forever family.

As I have gotten to know your mommy...all I can say is, "wow". You have been chosen and given to an incredible mom. I am so happy for the both of you. I know your dad is just as special.

We love you both and will continue to pray for you and your entire family!

Merry Christmas Kaleab and "S"! Your parents and MANY, MANY others have been praying for you for a long time! Last Christmas we were in the exact same situation your parents are in now and I know their hearts ache because they can't hold you in their arms today and wish you a merry Christmas in person. Next year will be a dream come true for all of you. May you be blessed this Christmas and we can't wait to see pictures of all of you together!

Kaleab and "S" we are so excited to meet you!!It is so awesome to watch your family come together. You two are such a blessing to Jeff and Deb, as well as to us all. You are SO LOVED. Torrie, Jordan and I are honored to know your parents and blessed to be a part of their lives.

You are so blessed to have such a wonderful mother in Deb. You will learn how loving her heart is, how strong her will is, how faithful and amazing a woman she is.

You are so blessed to have such an awesome father in Jeff. You will discover his passion, strenghth, love, and faithfulness.

We wish you a very merry Christmas and will be anxiously waiting your arrival.

Merry Merry Christmas Kaleab and "S." There is so much we could share with you but most important, we want you to know how much we LOVE you BOTH. Boys, you are SO LOVED, by so many people. God brought your Mommy and Daddy to us, to be in our lives through this blessed world of adoption. We have watched the journey they took to you both! God's handprint is all over this story boys. We have watched your parent's faith swell, and their love grow, as God has orchestrated everystep. And you should ALWAYS know that this has strengthened OUR faith in God as well. We have laughed, cried, loved, prayed for and with your parents and now, that we know who you are, there is NO question that YOU BOTH are the boys God picked to complete this family. YOU ARE SPECIAL. YOU ARE BLESSED. YOU ARE SO LOVED. Your Mom and Dad love you beyond your wildest dreams. And Jesus loves you even more! :) We cannot wait to meet you. We cannot wait to hug you and tell you all about how WONDERFUL your parents are. We can't wait to have play dates with you and our children. Your life is gonna be so so FULL boys. :) MERRY CHRISTMAS! NEVER AGAIN will you be without your FOREVER FAMILY.

Your Mom and Dad are so blessed to be your parents. They have dreamed about you and prayed for you for such a long time. God brought their dreams to a reality and answered their prayers. Oh, we have a good and gracious God!! It has been exciting and faith building to watch as God has built your family! You're in our prayers.

Merry Merry Merry Christmas Kaleab and "S! I am Teshome's Mumma and I've been following your story and we've been praying for you in this wonderful journey. My heart is so full of things to say but for now, please just know the FULTON FAMILY loves you and you have such a treasure of a family!! Your parents are a gift from God to you, as you are to them! All our love and prayers in this Season and the many to come. I cannot think of many better expressions of the true meaning of Christmas than the uniting of your precious family! Merry Christmas!!! All our love - Krissy & The Fulton Family!

I met your Mother while undergoing physical therapy for different parts of my body which took time and several treatments, but my heart and soul was immediately brightened by your Mother's presence. She is definitely guided by our Great God and you could not have a better extension of God's Parenting than your Mother. I have been following your Mother and Dad's joy, tears, anxiety, peace and trials they have endured wanting to have you near to call you their own. There is no pain to match that of a Mother not being with her child...and there is no greater joy than that of a Mother holding her child. I am so excited to hear of your return to your FOREVER loving home with your beautiful parents...and pets, of course! My love to you all, Marty Sosa

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Gate in Darkness

I said to the man who stood at the gate of the new year, "Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown." And he replied, "Go into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way!"

Stepping Stone Prose

Matthew 19:14

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."